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Friday, December 4, 2015

Blog Name Change

Today I decided to change the name of this blog. The original title was Dairy of a Would Be Painter and so it is. But as I have been writing posts I see that this painting adventure is giving me all manner of introspective opportunities. After writing I Just Learned What I Already Knew it occurred to me this blog is going to be about more than just painting. The new title, as you can, see is Learning to Paint: A Journey of Self-Discovery. I've always been an advocate of self-knowledge. I have a feeling learning to paint, along with writing about it on this blog, is going to be a journey of self-discovery making it all the more fun.

Since I started this project I have been reminded just how thoroughly unteachable I am. It doesn't mean I can't learn. It means I have to teach myself by observing what other people do, not what they say, and then figuring out how to do it in a way that makes sense to me. My thought process is so different from most peoples I simply cannot grasp how to do a thing as explained by another. The way things make sense to others is totally bewildering to me.

I was a terrible student. I believed I couldn't understand things because I was
stupid. In grammar school I had to take piano lessons. The nun, Sister Ruth, used a little black wand. She kept time to a metronome and tapped the piano in time with it. Every time I struck a wrong note she would strike my knuckles. In the end, I was the only child in the history of the school who couldn't play in the recital because she couldn't learn even one simple piece. In high school it was so bad I was suicidal. My IQ was revealed
to me in hopes it would help with my self-doubt. Turned out my IQ was
136. No Einstein but not stupid either. It did help with my self-worth
issues but not with my frustration. The point is, my inability to be taught started a very long time ago.

I'm watching lots of painting videos. I watch more than listen. I'm watching for those AH HA moments. Times when I see the artist do something and think "Oh wow, that's how that's done!" I'm saving all of the videos that give me one or more of those moments in my Acrylic Painting Video Library.

In addition to being unteachable there is a bit of a rebel in me. Since I've learned I don't think like other people I find I don't want to do things like other people. I am a square peg in a round hole world and learning to live with it has been a journey unto itself. My life's theme song is I Did It My Way, mostly because I had no choice. I have no doubt painting is going to be a continuation on that theme.

Pajaro - Kinsey Barnard

For anyone reading this please understand, this blog is primarily for my personal
edification. I only make it public on the off chance that something I
write might be useful to another. I'm way too old to care what anyone
may think of me. As far as I'm concerned life isn't a popularity contest. Good thing too as square pegs don't generally do well in that type of contest.